The
Cuban Warblers [Teretristidae] are two species of warbler-like birds
endemic to Cuba. Recent molecular evidence has provided evidence that
these two are not closely related the New World Warblers [Parulidae]
but are, instead, a remnant of an evolutionary line now isolated in
Cuba. Oriente Warbler (left) is the scarcer of the
two species, being restricted to the eastern end of Cuba. It is
generally restricted to occur in scrubby undergrowth, usually semi-arid
scrub near the coast (this photo) or in the understory humid forests in
the eastern mountains.

In 2002, Lovette &
Bermingham conducted a molecular study of the genera assigned to the
New World Warblers [Parulidae] and found six that did not appear to
share the same common ancestor. These included the Wrenthrush [Zeledonia] of Central America, and a number of Caribbean genera, include the Cuban warbler genera Teretristris.
Barker et al. (2012) used both nuclear and mtDNA to construct a
phylogeny of New World nine-primaried passerines. They found that Zeledonia and Teretristris
had become evolutionarily distinct about 12 million years ago, and
might be each other's closest relative. There was some evidence that
Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens might also be related, but other evidence pointed against that.

In
the "big picture" it looked like Wrenthrush and Cuban warblers fell
somewhere between Parulidae and Icteridae. From these data, Barker et
al. (2013) proposed that Wrenthrush be assigned to its own family
[Zeledoniidae] and that the two Cuban warblers be assigned to their own
family [Teretristidae]. This proposal has been adopted by some (e.g.,
Winkler et al. 2015) but I've dithered about what to do with all this
information. The Howard & Moore checklist, 4th ed. [Dickinson &
Christidis 2014] placed both Zeledonia and Teretristris
in the same new Zeledoniidae family. I did so initially but now, having
seen both Cuban warblers in the field, see vast behavioral differences
between Wrenthrush and Cuban warblers. I now follow Winkler et al.
(2015) in elevating the Teretristidae to Family status. Still, at a
divergence age of 12 mya, this is the "youngest" bird family in my
project.

The more widespread species in the western end of Cuba is Yellow-headed Warbler
(right, in a nice shot by Dan Singer, taken in western Cuba). Both
Yellow-headed and Oriente Warblers are long-billed species. The plumage
of Oriente Warbler differs in having a gray crown and yellow restricted
to throat and breast. It is said (e.g., Curson 2010) that Yellow-headed
Warbler is also an understory species — and it is sometimes found there
— but in our visit to western and central Cuba, we found it at all
levels in the forest, from mid-levels ito the canopy of taller forest.
My photo of Yellow-headed Warbler was in a tidal mangrove forest in
Zapata Swamp (below).

Outside the breeding season both species of Cuban warblers may act as the nucleus of mixed-species flocks (Curson 2010).